Photo-album



15mg. 9, 1966 R GROSS 3,265,072

PHOTO-ALBUM Filed Dec. 30, 1964 /NvE/v-roR 5? RoBERT @Ross 2.," 76 5 Y u4 M 52 54 A T TORNE Y United States Patent O 3,265,072 PHOT-ALBUM RobertGross, 4111 W. Devon Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60646 Filed Dec. 30, 1964, Ser.No. 422,2S7 1 Claim. (Cl. 129-20) The present invention relates tophoto-albums and more particularly to that type of album which isdesigned for use in the storage, care and display of small snapshotvariety photographs. Such photographs currently prevail in standardsizes, among the more common sizes being 3% X 41A, 31/2 x 31/2 and 4% X4%.. Albums are usually designed to accommodate photographs of one par-Iticular size and the present invention is applicable to a single-sizephoto album.

An extremely common type of photo-album employs between the two hingedcovers thereof `an up-and-down series of over-lapping at envelopes whichare formed of transparent plastic material, are hinged within the albumalong the fold line between the covers, and are open along their distalor outer side edges in order to provide entrance slots through whichphotographs may be inserted. When two photographs are thus inserted intoa given envelope in back-to-back relationship, the photographs thereonare visible from opposite sides of the envelope through the transparentplastic material of which the envelope is formed. When the album is inits closed condition, the various envelopes overlie one another somewhatlike the pages of a book. When the album is in its open condition withthe covers spread apart, ilipping or swinging of the envelopes from oneside to the other provides access to the back-to-back photographs forviewing purposes.

The envelopes which are associated with and form parts of an album ofthe aforementioned type are invariably tailored to fit the particularphotographs to be stored in the album. Thus, if, it is desired toidentify a given photograph, it is necessary to write the necessaryinformation directly upon the picture side of the photograph, preferablyon the lower margin of the photograph. Such Writing directly upon thephotograph is undesirable, particularly if the photograph issubsequently to be reproduced, and it frequently is impractical,especially if the photograph presents a glossy surface which does notreadily receive ink or pencil writing. Some photo-'albums make provisionfor up-and-down olfset staggering of adjacent transparent envelopes sothat the writing on the bot-tom margin of a photograph in one envelopewill not be covered by the photo in the next superjacent envelope, butwhen such staggering is resorted to, back-to-back storage of photographsin the same envelope precludes vis-ibility of the marginal legending onone side of each pair of photographs. Stated otherwise, a group ofenvelopes thus staggered will pre'- sent visible legending when thegroup is viewed from one side thereof but, when viewed from the otherside, any legending which may have been applied to the lower margins ofthe various photographs will be concealed.

The present invention is concerned with a novel photoalbum which makesprovision for the display of photographs in back-to-back relationship inindivi-dual transparent envelopes, one for each pair of photographs, andwhich provides for up-and-down staggering of the envelopes in offsetrelationship, yet in which, despite such staggering, provision is madefor identifying each photogra-ph by suitable written legending, thelegending being visible from both sides of a group or series of thestaggered envelopes in the album.

The provision of such a photo-album constitutes the principal object ofthe invention and, in carrying out this object, it is contemplated thatthe various transparent renvelopes be made slightly higher, in thevertical direc- Patented August 9, 1966 tion of the album, than theheight of the photographs to be installed therein and that each pair ofphotographs be mounted upon a special holder card which subsequently isinserted within the associated envelope and substantially fills the sameareawise. Each holder card is provided with means for maintaining thetwo photographs in their back-to-back relationship but with onephotograph extending upwardly from the lower edge of the card and theother photograph extending downwardly from the upper edge of the card.The two photographs are thus slightly offset with respect to each otherso that on one side of the pair of photographs (consi-deredcollectively) there is space on the card above the viewed photograph foran insc-ription or labeling while, on the other side of the pair, thereis a space on the card below the viewed photograph for any desiredinscription or labeling.

The provision of such a transparent envelope, in combination withsuchhold card, constitutes the essence of the present invention. Theinvention is directed specifically to the novel photograph-holder card,as well asthe association of such a card in a photo-album assembly.

lIn the accompanying single sheet of drawings forming a part of thisspeciiication, one illustrative embodiment of a photo-album constructedaccor-ding to the present invention is illustrated.

`In this drawing:

YFIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a photo-album embodying theprinciples of the present invention and showing the album in its opencondition;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one of the photograph-holder cards which areemployed in connection with the album of `FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to FIG, 2 but showing the holder card witha pair of photographs operatively installed thereon; and

FG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIG. 1, aphoto-album is designated `in its entirety by the reference numeral 10and includes right and left hand cover sections 12 and 14 and aninterconnecting hinge section 16. The hinge section 16 is connected tothe cover sections 12 and 14 by fold lines 18 and 20, respectively. Thethree sections 12, 14 and 16 constitute a book-like holder or folder forretaining an inner articulated photograph-retaining assembly 22.

The photograph-retaining assembly 22 involves in its generalorganization a longitudinally split, exible hinge member 24 which is oftubular design and has slots 26 at closely spaced regions along itsaxial extent in order to provide a series of arcuate retaining lingers28. The latter normally curlinto the tubular configuration of the hingemember but may selectively be pulled outwardly to expose the endsthereof for installation thereon a plurality of up-and-down series ofphotograph-receiving envelopes 30, as well as a series of relativelystiff separator sheets 32, the nature and function of which will bedescribed presently.

The separator sheets 32 a-re provided with series of slots 34 alongtheir proximate side margins, the arcuate lingers 28 of the exible hingemember 24 projecting loosely through the slots and thus serving hingedlyto support the separator sheets for sidewise swinging movement about theaxis of said hinge member. One of the separator sheets 32 is inserted ortucked into a pocket 36 on the right hand cover section 12, thusreleasably maintaining the entire photograph-retaining assembly 22 inposition within the folder.

Except for their departure in size from standard photograph-retainingenvelopes, the previously mentioned envelopes 30 are conventional indesign and each envelope `is hinged adjacent to its proximal or innerside edge for swinging movement about the axis of the hinge member 24,the hinge connection consisting of a plurality of slots 40 which arearranged in series form, extend through both thicknesses of theenvelope, and are adapted loosely to receive a corresponding number ofthe arcuate retaining lingers 28 of the hinge member 24. As shown inFIG. 1, each envelope 30 is formed with five such slots and is supportedon iive of the fingers 28. The distal or outer side edge end of eachenvelope is open as indicated at 42 to provide an entrance slot for apair of back-to-back photographs. Preferably, each envelope is formed ofany suitable transpa-rent plastic material. The separator sheets 32 andthe envelopes 30 are preferably installed upon the hinge member 24 insuch a manner that the separator sheets alternate with a series or groupof the envelopes and the envelopes of each group are arranged inoverlapping relationship so that when a group or portion of a group isdisposed above the right hand cover section 12, successive envelopesunderhang the lower edges of the next adjacent overlying envelopes.Similarly, when a group or portion of a group of envelopes is disposedabove the left hand cover section 14, successive envelopes underhang theupper edges of the next adjacent overlying envelopes.

The arrangement of the aforementioned folder and the separator sheets32, as well as of the overlapping envelopes 30 thus far described ismore or less conventional and no claim is made herein to any noveltyassociated with the same, the novelty of the present inventionconsisting rather in the provision of a novel photograph holder card foreach envelope. Each holder card is removably receivable in itsassociated envelope and serves to maintain a pair of photographs inback-to-back relationship so that one photograph is visible through theenvelope when the latter ovcrlies the right hand cover section 12 andthe other photograph is visible through the envelope when the latterovcrlies the left hand cover section 14. Moreover, each holder card isso designed that, regardless of which cover section the associatedenvelope ovcrlies, a space on the holder card remains visible throughthe envelope and may be employed, if desired, for the applicationthereto of identifying writing or legendmg.

One of the novel photograph holder cards is illustrated in detail inFIGS. 2, 3 and 4 and is designated in its entirety by the referencenumeral 50. Such holder card is in the form of a rectangular sheet 'ofcardboard or the like, the height of which is slightly less than theheight of the associated envelope 30 in order that the card may bereadily inserted into said associated envelope and when in place willtill the envelope interior. The height of the holder card 50 is inexcess of the height of each photograph which is to be installed on thecard. While various dimensions for the holder card are contemplated,preferably the height of the card is on the order of one-half inch inexcess of the height of a photograph 51 so that when the lower edge 52of the photograph is aligned with the lower edge 54 of the holder card,a space 56 of suflicient height and area for the application of writtenmaterial 58 thereto will be provided above the photograph. Similarly,when the upper edge 60 of a photograph 51 is aligned with the upper edge62 of the holder card, a space 64 will be provided below the photographfor application of written material 66 thereto.

Each holder card 50 is reversible either from top to bottom or fromside-to-side and is adapted to receive thereon two of the photographs51, the photographs being disposed in back-to-back relationship with thebody portion of the cardboard holder card sandwiched therebetween. Toretain the two associated photographs, each holder card is provided withtwo generally horizontally extending slits which, in the position of theholder shown in FIG. 2, include an upper slit 68 and a lower slit 70.The slits are tier as shown at the left hand side of FIG. l.

straight except for the provision of short laterally turned end portion72 which, in combination with the straight portions of the slits,provide an upper downwardly extending narrow retaining flap 74 and alower upwardly extending narrow retaining flap 76. The flaps 74 and 76are adapted to be displaced laterally in either direction out of theplane of the holder card 50 for the purpose of receiving thereunder theupper or the lower edge, as the case may be, of a photograph 51. Theslits 63 and 70 are so spaced from the edges 62 and 54, respectively, ofthe holder card that when the upper edge 60 of a photograph is insertedbeneath the flap 68, the lower edge of the photograph will substantiallycoincide with the llower edge 54 of the holder card and the photographwill overlie and conceal the lower flap 76. Similarly, when the loweredge 52 of a photograph is inserted beneath t-he flap 76, the upper edge60 of the photograph will substantially coincide with the upper edge 62of the holder card with the photograph overlying and concealing theupper tlap 74. Such a disposition of two photographs 51 is illustratedin FIGS. 3 and 4 and is the intended disposition of photographs on theholder card 50 according to the present invention.

When two photographs 51 are disposed on the holder card in the mannerdescribed above and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the two photographs willbe disposed in back-to-back relationship with the body portion of theholder card sandwiched between the photographs. On one side of the card,the space 56 above the adjacent photograph is exposed for writingpurposes while, on the other side of the card, the space 64 beneath thephotograph is exposed for writing purposes.

As shown in FIG. 1, an assembly of one holder 50 and two photographs 51in the relationship of FIGS. 3 and 4 is adapted to be inserted into eachenvelope 30 and, when a series of such assemblies has been elected, suchenvelopes as may be caused to overlie the cover section 14 will presentthe writing spaces 56 to view in a vertical Similarly, such envelopes asmay be caused to overlie the cover section 12 will present the writingspaces 64 in a vertical tier as shown at the right hand side of thisview. The photographs 51 are thus conveniently catalogued by respectivevisible indicia or legending 58 or 66, depending upon which side of theenvelopes are facing the viewer.

In using the photo-album 10, any given photograph may be singled out forviewing and exposed to view by the simple expedient of selecting theassociated indicia or legending and then swinging suchphotograph-containing envelopes as may overlie the associated envelopeto an out-of-the-way position through an angle of thus transferring suchenvelopes to the opposite side of the open photo-album. Closure of thephoto-album will, of course, automatically position all of the envelopesin overlapping relationship between the two cover sections 12 and 14. Ifdesired, legending Emay be applied to the separator sheets 32 foridentification and selection of any particular group of envelopes.

The invention is not to 'be limited to the exact arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying drawing or described in this specification asvarious changes in the details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore,only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed out in theaccompanying claim is the same to be limited.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

In a photo-album of the character described, in combination, a pair ofcover sections and an interconnecting hinge section, a hinge memberpositioned adjacent to said hinge section, a series of transparentrectangular envelopes having their proximate side edges carried by saidhinge section and having respective open edges, other than theirproximate side edges, adapted for reception therethrough of selectedpairs of back-to-back photographs, and a unitary normally fiat unfoldedrectangular photograph holder card disposed in each envelope, saidholder card being slitted to provide two hinged photograph-retainingflaps electve on opposite sides of the holder card respectively toreceive thereunder an edge of a photograph, one of said flaps beingdisposed a slight distance inwardly from the upper edge of the holdercard and projecting downwardly therefrom and the other ap beingdisposeda slight distance inwardly from the lower edge of the holder card andprojecting upwardly therefrom, the space immediately above said onedownwardly projecting flap on one side of the holder card presenting alegend-receiving area and the space immediately above said other flap onthe other upwardly projecting side of the holder card similarlypresenting a legendreceiving area, adjacent envelopes being disposed inslightly overlapping relationship in the vertical direction of the cardholder so that when the photo-album is in its open condition withcertain envelopes overlying one of the cover sections and with certainother envelopes overlying the other cover section, all of thelegend-receiving areas on the sides of the photograph holders remotefrom the Vadjacent cover sections will be exposed to View.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,068,011 1/1937Engel 129-20 2,259,787 10/ 1941 Trussell 129-20 2,274,944 3/ 1942Trussell 129-20 2,560,725 7/ 1951 Jones 129-20 2,926,444 3/ 1960 Atkins129-20 X JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

